Posts Tagged ‘happy’

How many times have you quit something and then tried to start cover? It is hard isn’t it? It is so hard! Do not quit…starting over is hard! I can’t tell you how many times in my life I have quit something and then wanted to start over and had the worst time doing it. Why is that? Why is starting the hardest part? Once in motion we are fine but boy, getting in motion is tough cookies isn’t it?

This brings me to my current dilemma. I quit. Yup. Life happened and I stopped working out. I also stopped eating as well as I usually do. Not good. I would try start so many times but could never stick to it. I have had so much success with Beachbody workouts so I know they work and I know I will have success but I just can’t get myself to start and stick with it. Why is that so hard? It is something that happens with so many people and I wish I knew why. I suppose if I knew than I would not be going through what so many others go through also.

Do you have the same issue I am having now? Do you want to join me and conquer this with me? Gosh knows I need the motivation. I’d love to start and most of all, continue, with some other people. I have gained weight, I don’t feel as good as I used to and I’m ready to get back in shape and fit into those clothes I used to.

If you want to help motivate me send me an email to jobrandes@overactivelife.com and we will do this together. I am ready but I need your help.

I thought I would step out of my comfort zone and talk about something that those with an eating disorder never really feel that comfortable talking about…and that is that we have or had an eating disorder. No, I am not a therapist of any kind so the opinions expressed are of my own experience with having an eating disorder from the age of about 19 years old to about 28 years old.

I grew up a tomboy, playing sports all of the time from the age of about 7 to 18. Then something called “real life” happened and the fairy tales experienced as a child are gone and responsibilities took place. Any pressures or “not so fun” things experienced as a child seemed to surface and they had to be dealt with. Of course as you get older, you become more aware of things and coping mechanisms are created to deal with stressful situations. Some coping mechanisms are healthy such as writing in a journal, going for a run and talking to others.

I was a quiet child, I know hard to believe if you know me now, but my stress relief as a child was playing, running, pretending I was chasing the bad guy, using my imagination. I was an insecure child who didn’t have the “in” clothes or the “in” haircut, oh and we had little to no money. I went to a school where everyone’s parents were either a doctor or lawyer and my mother was working exceptionally hard to just make sure we had food and a roof over our head.

As a teen, pretending to be who you are not is a lot of hard work and a lot of unwarranted stress. I was no longer a child though and life super smacked me in the face. I was a grown up and had too much stress thrown my way. So, control for me came at the hands of food and lots of it. I could control what and how much I ate and when I wanted to “release” the fullness and control, I did so.

As time went on, life had it ups and downs, but then I found the fitness track again and the healthy means of controlling my life. I met people who had my same goals in mind, which was living a healthy life by eating right and being active. I talked to people about my journey with food and they did not judge, they listened and some could actually relate.

I believe my unhealthy journey with food and the on-going battle with food and stress in my life unknowingly created a willful, determined and strong mind that to this day helps me overcome things by way of literally working out the problem instead of eating it away. My workouts are not unhealthy, meaning that I don’t for 2-3 hours at a time running, doing weights, etc… I am on a schedule and if I have to veer from that schedule for some reason, I make sure that I hold myself accountable to doing something active the next day.

It works for me to say, “A healthy mind is essential for a healthy body”, so I have committed myself to eating well, working out at least 5 days a week, associating with healthy, like minded people and eliminating as much stress from my life that I have control over.

If you can relate to any of this, then don’t hesitate to contact me. I am here to help people on their journey to having a healthier, active and happier life. I am proud to say that I am 10 years “clean” so I must be doing something right.

So before I venture out to start my work day on a bicycle, I wanted to reflect with you about my day yesterday while riding around. My job entails responding to helping people, approaching suspicious people, being a visible presence, etc…. So in between most of these duties, I have a lot of time to just think. I believe moving around, taking in what’s around you in silence and just being alone gives people a lot of time to think. Yesterday I thought a lot about my future. How I need to make a major decision in my life for the best, but that by making the decision, I am venturing into the unknown. Would you leave a job that you have had for the past 15 years that you were once very passionate about, but now you just go through the motions? Do you continue to “just be” once the passion is almost gone or has completely dissipated? Do you keep going through the motions hoping that one day the passion will return?

It is good to know, day to day, what to expect when you have already “settled” into the life you have now, but is your health and happiness at stake by “settling”? Are you putting the well-being of your family at risk too because you might fear change. “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear”- Rosa Parks

The previous quote answers the question for me of what I must do. My mind is made up so what do I have to be afraid of? Failing in whatever venture I take on? Well yes, to some, failing is a part of life and that is how we learn, but I think to succeed you must fail in some things, but not in all. It is that one small piece to where you don’t fail that the little light of hope comes through and with that little light, I will use it to make my passion for fitness and helping other make me successful. For me, success will amount to greater health and happiness.

Have you ever sat down and wondered about your life and thought that nothing is going right? You know you are a good person, you treat people well, you do the right thing but you always feel like you can’t win. You know that life isn’t about winning and losing but you see people around you that are happy, have great jobs, have beautiful kids, are in amazing shape and you are the one with the job you do not like, the relationship that is falling apart and you are gaining weight like nobodies business. I can’t imagine anyone who hasn’t felt like this ever, am I right? If you say you haven’t I say you are lying to yourself. We all have! Time to change your focus.

Let’s put a spin on it. Do you only focus on those negative parts in your life? Do you always think about the things going wrong and never about the good things in your life? I bet if you sat down for a moment you probably could think of some positives in your life right? Are you healthy? Think of all of those people who have medical conditions just trying to live. I’m very thankful for that. I have Epilepsy and there is not one day I think about the fact that I have to take 5 pills in the morning and 5 at night because I think of my buddy Chris who is trying to survive Leukemia or I think of my mom who survived an acoustic neuroma and an aneurysm or our friend Jen who survived a brain tumor. I have it great! Do you have a roof over your head and food to eat? You are reading this so I assume you have access to a computer or phone so that is a good thing, some people don’t. Do you have people who love you like parents, friends, family? Do you at least have a job, even if you do not like it? In this economy we should be thankful to even be employed. What is my point? My point is to focus on the positive, not the negative. YOur life will seem pretty darn amazing.

When you start to focus on the positive things in your life then guess what will happen, good things will happen? It is true. You have heard the quote “good things happen to good people” well it really does happen. I can’t tell you when it will happen but it really does. You just have to continue treating people right, doing the right thing for other people and you have to start focusing on the positive in your life and trust me, good things will happen to you.

I can’t tell you how many rough patches I have been through in my life, there have been a lot but I can tell you that there have been many, many more positives. Those are the ones I like to think about because those are the ones that have changed my life. The struggles have made me a stronger person for sure and while they did occur and they really sucked I moved on. The great times in my life though are my reason for loving life.

I love working with people and helping them improves their lives for the better. I have a great mentor and friend, Dave, who has helped me become a better person. I have a great partner, Michelle, who has also helped me immensely improved my life. I also have found an amazing opportunity, being a Beachbody Coach, that has turned my life around 180 degrees. THese are the things that are truly life changing.

It is worth it. Focus on the positive and improve your life. We’d love to help you so feel free to email us and get in touch. We have a great team of people doing great things with their life because of their focus. Join us!

As I sit here today thinking that I will leaving for the Success Club trip to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas in one week I look back and realize that I have not even been a Beachbody Coach for one year yet but being a Beachbody Coach has changed my life in so many ways. I never would have imagined back in May 2011 that when I signed up to be a Beachbody Coach that this company would be sending me to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas just because I have helped so many people with support, motivation, nutrition, and just general fitness.

Quite honestly, when I first signed up to be a Coach with Beachbody I just wanted that discount on Shakeology, I mean, 25% is a big discount and if I can get a discount on all these great products I was going to take it. I thought that I was not going to fall for yet another network marketing scam…again! I have a full time job that pays the bills, that was good enough for me. I am no sucker for network marketing. You are not going to catch me Beachbody, you can catch another sucker willing to give you a $39.95 sign up fee! Haha! So I took my discount and ran with it.

Well, what happenend? It’s a year later nearly and I’m still a Beachbody Coach, a Diamond Coach in fact. What happened is that this is the REAL DEAL! No joke here. I actually realized that I could help people and make money at the same time. I never imagined it. I started meeting the most wonderful people ever, people that turned into the greatest friends and mentors. I started helping people with their workouts, supporting and motivating them through some tough times and even good times, answering nutrition questions, and just being there and building relationships. I was having the most fun ever. Oh, and I was making money doing it! I not only would get paid weekly by Beachbody but I qualified for free t-shirts, free baseball caps, I just recently was on a team for the Success Club Team Challenge that came in 35th place out of 100 and we earned a t-shirt, baseball cap, headphones, laptop bag, duffle bag, and hoodie all courtesy of Beachbody. Did I forget to mention that trip to Atlantis in the Bahamas! Oh, and what about the paychecks, yup, I still am getting paid every week. I have met one of my best friends through Beachbody, I don’t need money for that.

Beachbody has allowed me to gain access to the most amazing fitness programs like P90X, TurboFire, Insanity, P90X2, 10 Minute Trainer, Hip Hop Abs and many more. It has also introduced me to wonderful nutritional supplements like Shakeology, a meal replacement that I would never go a day without that I wish I would have heard about years ago. The best part about this company and opportunity is that it has given me the chance to meet the most amazing people that I never would have ever gotten the chance to meet. Sure, getting my weekly checks is wonderful and winning trips is great but meeting all these wonderful people is so fantastic. I cannot wait to meet some of them in Atlantis and then more of them at Coach Summit in Las Vegas in June. I wish I could meet more of them.

It’s funny because I don’t know how many times I have told people how amazing this opportunity is and I think that they think I am trying to sell it to them but I truly know that this is the best thing that has happened in my life (besides meeting my wonderful partner). How do you tell someone about something so amazing without them thinking you are trying to rope them into some fandangled scheme? I guess you just have to prove it to them. Beachbody is no joke. You will get nothing out of it if you put nothing into it. The more you give it the more you get. You can put in hours a day or just a few minutes a day and your results will vary. You can work it part time or full time. Either way, you can and will succeed if you give it all you have. It is just like working out. If you push yourself to the max then you will get results, if you don’t then you won’t get results. The same goes with the Beachbody Business Opportunity, if you give it your all you will succeed and then I will see you next year on the Success Club trip to DisneyWorld. Do you want to be on my team? Will you be my next Diamond Coach? Are you in?

And it tastes amazing! It is a full meal in one glass and will provide you over 70 nutrients that you can’t find anywhere else. No other meal you eat in the day will give you more nutrients than one delicious Shakeology shake. This patent-pending daily nutritional shake helps your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need.

More information about Shakeology is available here. If you want a FREE sample, just contact me.

Beachbody has teamed up with Les Mills to offer you PUMP, based on BodyPUMP. This workout will be coming to YOU as a workout program at home!

Beachbody and Les Mills International have teamed up to develop the exciting LES MILLS PUMP workout, the first comprehensive at-home DVD fitness program based on the globally famous BODYPUMP® gym classes.

What is Les Mills PUMP?

Quite simply, it’s the world’s fastest way to get in shape. The LES MILLS PUMP workout is a barbell-based rapid weight loss and accelerated strength-training program that incinerates calories to give you the ultimate tight, toned, lean body. If you want flat abs, lean legs, sculpted arms, and tight buns, then LES MILLS PUMP is for you.

How does Les Mills PUMP Work?

Great bodies aren’t born, they’re engineered. How? With THE REP EFFECT™, which uses lighter weights at a higher rate of repetition so you burn up to 1,000 calories per workout and get leaner—faster. Unlike typical strength workouts that use heavy weights and bulk you up, LES MILLS PUMP helps you get lean, strong, and sculpted using high-repetition resistance training. You push your muscles to fatigue by changing the tempo, position, and speed of your movements, all while hitting your target heart rate zone. So in every LES MILLS PUMP workout, you’re breaking down more fat reserves, targeting more muscle fibers, and blasting more calories than you ever could lifting heavy weights.

Les Mills PUMP Base Kit includes:

7 DVDs

Lean, Strong, & Unstoppable Fitness Guide

Get Lean Nutrition Guide

Barbell that breaks down for easy storage

Barbell safety clips (holds the weights on and makes it easy to quickly change weights)

Pump and Burn: Can you say fat-burning? That’s what you’ll be doing in this strength and conditioning routine! (30 min)

Pump and Shred: Improve your body in a big way with shoulder training and lunges as you get into the The PUMP Rep Effect. You’ll be shaking up those fat stores like never before! (45 min)

Pump Revolution: Body transformation happens through toning, strength, and endurance. With exercises like cardio kick-ups, your body will be forever changed for the better. (55 min)

Pump Extreme: Here’s where you’ll experience the true power of Les Mills Pump! With isolating plate work and “bottom half” moves (you know what I am talking about BodyPump fans), the focus is on strength and intensity. (55 min)

Flow: No workout is complete without the benefits of relaxing the body, staying strong, and flexible. Designed to target the muscles used in Les Mills workouts, these yoga moves will help build a good foundation. (20 min)

Hard Core Abs: We all want a strong core! Not only will you get better defined abs but a strong core will help you improve in your other workout routines. (20 min)

Les Mills Core – FREE bonus Team Beachbody exclusive: Your core is the foundation of your body. You’ll be building an even stronger one by strengthening your abs and back. (20 min)

I have had a lot of people come to me wanting to change the way they eat, workout, and go about their daily life. They want to make a complete lifestyle change. These people used to be like me. The Jo-Anne Brandes I used to know was overweight by about 100 pounds, was lazy, didn’t workout, ate a lot of fast food and loved drinking soda. The Jo-Anne Brandes I know now is the true me. I do not eat fast food anymore, I cut out red meat completely, I do not drink soda, I lost over 100 pounds, and I enjoy exercise in all forms. Now, don’t get me wrong, I will still have a dessert once in a while because I sure do love chocolate and there are days that I just don’t feel like exercising but I make up for it because I have made a lifestyle change.

I have talked to many people who log everything they eat on myfitnesspal.com or livestrong.com and that is great. I have done it, trust me! How are you going to learn how to figure out what to eat if you do not track your calories? The P90X and INSANITY Nutrition Guide are there to guide you for that reason. Every workout program from Beachbody comes with a detailed plan so you can learn how to eat right. Yes, in the beginning you will be weighing your portions, tracking your calories, and it will be a bear. I understand, I have been there. You will wonder to yourself how on earth you can do this for every meal for the rest of your life. Relax, you won’t have to. Just like anything new to you it takes practice. After you do it for a while you will learn it. Eventually you will understand what is a normal portion size and how many carbs and proteins you need in each meal and you won’t need to track it. Remember, you learned how to eat poorly over a long period of time so learning the right way will take a bit of time. It is ok.

The same goes with your workouts. For example, say you are starting with TurboFire, you are going to be a bit lost watching Chalene jumping around the screen. I was very lost, I am so uncoordinated. After you do the workouts for a few days (or weeks in my case) then you will adjust and you will have it down pat. You will get the hang of it and you will know exactly what you are doing. You will probably even start inviting friends over and laugh at them being as lost as you were. It just takes time.

The bottom line is to not be discouraged. Do not give up so quickly. There are a lot of folks in your position and they are all struggling. I am available and will be happy to work with you. All the people on my team will be happy to encourage and motivate you. We offer free fitness coaching and have a great support group on Facebook also that we would love you to join. Just send me an email, friend me on Facebook, or contact me here. It is no bother at all, I would really love helping you and my teammates would to.

Honestly, if you or someone you know has to ask this question then be afraid, be very afraid. Absolutely there are benefits about being, thinking and acting positively and especially associating with positive people. Don’t get me wrong, we all have things happen in our lives that are or that we consider to be devastating, life changing, abnormal or negative. How you choose to handle these types of situations is up to you. I know, I know, easier said than done, but you at least have to try at becoming a better person for yourself and those who have to spend almost every waking hour around you, either at home or at work.

Think about it. If you believe that bad things happen to you all of the time, that the world is coming to an end, that there is absolutely no light at the end of the tunnel, then you will be destined to live a life of loneliness, depression and misery. Think again, is that really considered living? No. It’s called moping, vile and you just carry around a huge cloud of boo-hoo everywhere you go. Who really wants to befriend such a negative person?

So, why is it important to LIVE a positive life?

Studies have shown that people become more successful easier and faster than their negative counterparts.

The obvious of being a happier person.

More energy and inner power and strength to accomplish and achieve goals in LIFE.

You end up with this amazing power to inspire and motivate others.

With a positive mindset, any adversity you might face, will be handled with a greater logic and reasoning.

“Good things happen to good (positive) people”.

People respect and want to be around you. You end up being a positive role model for your children, for those who work with you or for you and relationships become less stressful and more enjoyable.

This is a choice and your choice should be that you want to Be Happy and “look on the bright side of life”. In situations of stress or negativity there has to be some positive in it or you would never get out of it alive. Things blow over with time, patience and positivity.

You eat right and work out to keep your body in shape, but do you ever think about how you can make your mind/body healthier. Positive thinking, positive people and a positive attitude will take you farther than you know when it comes to your mental and physical health.

A baby mosquito came back after its 1st fight.
Dad asked: “How did you feel?”
Baby mosquito replied: “Dad it was wonderful. Everyone was clapping for me”